NSW to cut $1.7b from education

Education spending in NSW will be slashed by $1.7 billion with independent schools expected to share the pain with the public system.

Premier Barry O'Farrell has described the cuts as "difficult but necessary".

The Education Minister, Adrian Piccoli, said he would cap per capita funding for independent schools at the current level, which will save the government $116 million over four years. Public schools would lose $201 million from their budgets.

"It will not be capped forever and the cap won't come into effect until the first of July 2013," Mr Piccoli said.

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"The intention of these changes is that the impact on non-government schools is the same as government schools of around 3 per cent."

The government sector would be expected to shed 600 staff in state and regional offices over four years - as part of a total cut of 1800 from the Department of Education.

While Mr Piccoli said no teachers would lose their jobs, the independent school sector said it would lose teacher numbers as a result of the funding cuts.

"I am the minister for all schools so I've taken the decision that the savings measures should be spread across all funding programs and grants across the education portfolio except teachers in [public] schools which have been quarantined from the Labor expenses cap," Mr Piccoli said.

"There has to be a shared impact of these savings measures and I have asked the director-general to ensure the impacts on education will be minimised by as much as possible.

"These changes include reducing staff working more efficiently within reduced operating budgets, adjusting non-government school sector funding and increasing revenue from fees and services."

TAFE NSW institutes would be forced to increase fees by 9.5 per cent and would be forced to cut 800 jobs over the next four years.

The concession fee will increase from $53 to $100. The overall annual increase will range from $44 for certificate one and two courses to $150 for advanced diploma courses.

"We know that the increase in fees are hard on every household," he said. "These proposed fee increases are within national averages for TAFE fees."

Aboriginal students would continue to receive expemptions and students with disabilities would receive subsidies.

149 comments

That's it, bleed school education dry, demolish TAFE. Then they'll bleat about being great managers - All this to build a few more roads that will be clogged in a few years. Oh yeah, don't forget skill shortages.

Commenter

Distopia

Date and time

September 11, 2012, 3:02PM

Yeah I love how we keep being told there is a "skill shortage" and that we need to keep bringing "skilled" migrants over and yet we then slash funding to schools and TAFE.It makes so much sense!

Commenter

Labrys

Date and time

September 11, 2012, 3:17PM

they wont be building any new roads. as I have said over and over this is the tip of the ice berg. local councils are dead broke - borrowing millions to carry out basic maintenance.State governments are all heading over a financial cliff and the federal governments just as bad. if you want a cop your local gated community will have to hire their own.Look at the UK and USA where all levels of government have slashed funding to all departments. there are many entire states in the USA which are insolvent. schools shut down. gov depts working 3 days a week. their version of super wiped out. the rich will go to school ( user pays but a tax deduction through a trust of course ) and succeed whilst the poor will get poorer. just like the good ol days of a century ago. crime will spiral out of control. the only thing being built will be more jails. watch for a massive gst rise - more little "one off" levies, fines through the roof and slave labour. and land tax on your primary residence. all the while MPs will be above the law getting fat and securing post gov jobs on big $$$.

Commenter

smilingjack

Date and time

September 11, 2012, 3:20PM

I thought REGO was to pay for roads... oh wait...

Now lets starve the kids (or the centres which support them) who actually need the education and low cost education to get ahead... those who do not have rich enough parents to send them off to a private school. What a dismal system we live in today. Such a shame this sort of thing happens to the poor.

Commenter

Liberator

Location

SEQLD

Date and time

September 11, 2012, 3:23PM

Agreed. Incredibly short sighted. Certain long term deficit. We as much education spending as possible. Hard to understand the what this government is doing.

Commenter

Farmer

Location

Brisbane

Date and time

September 11, 2012, 3:28PM

How bad will it get then, when Abbott gets elevated in to power, and not only supports these cuts, but adds to them?????

Commenter

TommyP

Date and time

September 11, 2012, 3:29PM

That's so unfair Distoipia. They have only said they have a plan to plan for some roads sometime in the future "ish".

Maybe we can use the uneducated labour force to build them when the time comes.......

Commenter

Cranky of Croydon

Location

Croydon

Date and time

September 11, 2012, 3:31PM

It is very strange that you can't understand why cuts to education and other services are needed. Look at it this way, would you rather pay quite a lot more in taxes so that the current inflated level of spending can continue indefinitely or would you rather not? Remember lots of NSW taxpayers don't have children and so might be pleased that the government is taking the axe to the education bureaucracy that has nearly as many managers and administrators as teachers.

Commenter

Ian Lee

Date and time

September 11, 2012, 3:51PM

BOF is only doing what he has to because of what the previous ALP Gov did. Oh, and because of the "carbon tax" and the "mining tax" and what ever other excuse Abbott can dish out for the ignorant masses to lap up! Either way, it will under no circumstances be BOF's fault, nor will the media/shock jocks even contemplate questioning his motives. They will simply spew the rhetoric issued by Abbott/O'Farrell and insist you idiots take it all on board.

NSW has to many politicos , here they should be seriously cutting back? So much funds before Carr and after has been deliberately wasted so friends etc can benefit with this ridiculous projects- Whether it was Wran or the last American Woman - a serious honest re Think is required to real priorities.

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